[Event Giveaway] Gastronommy x Heineken Star Serve Session

Join me at an exclusive beer appreciation session with Heineken Star Serve. Only 10 readers will receive entry for 2 (the winner + 1 friend) to this complimentary private tasting on Thursday 10 July.  Heineken's draught master will be hosting the session, along with two hours of free flow beer and soft drinks, and canapés.

To join, simply follow these steps:

1.  Share this photo (above) on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter
   (or all three!)
2. Hashtag it #GastronommySG and #HeinekenSG
   (privacy settings for this post must be public, so I can find it)
3. Fill in this blank in the caption:
   My favorite place for a Heineken is __________.

See you there.

How to say Cheers! in other languages:
Dutch: Proost!
Chinese:  干杯! (gān bēi)
German: Prost!
French: Santé!
Korean: 건배! (gun bae)
Italian: Salute! Cin cin!

Obnoxious Foodie Translator [video]

It's up.

GastronommyTV's Obnoxious Foodie Translator Singapore Edition (Level 1):

Translating obnoxious foodie-lingo into normal people words.  

Bonus points if you can recognize where these dishes are from 

(in the photos within the video)

WAGYU SLIDERS: CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Singapore & California USA

MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY: El Bulli by Ferran Adria, Spain

LUXURIOUS DISH (foie gras): La Tour D'Argent, France

GALETTE: Le Comptoir, Singapore

Best Burger Value

A Hamburger Today did some calculations for us on a meat-per-dollar ratio in their Bi-Coastal Side By Side Test. All prices are taken from New York and San Francisco locations (USD).

In-N-Out: $3.05 for a Double Double with two 2-ounce patties. Price per ounce: $.76
Five Guys: $7.09 for a cheeseburger with two 3.3-ounce patties. Price per ounce: $1.07
Shake Shack: $4.75 for a 4-ounce Shackburger. Price per ounce: $1.19

Based on my burger tour over the past month in Singapore, here's a quick summary for the city's offerings (SGD):
Average price per burger: $10.00 - 25.00
(not including US franchises, such as McDonald's)

Woopee!

[Press] Interview with Mothership.Sg

Well, I can't exactly send this article to my mom now because of the link they included... but thanks for the interview otherwise, Mothership.sg!

Mothership Interview with Victoria Cheng

Excerpt: 

If you’re familiar with the local YouTube scene, you probably know the quirky Night Owl Cinematics (NOC) YouTube stars. There is a new face in their recent videos, someone whom the viewers and fans labelled as “the chio one with the ang moh accent”. She has also been seen in videos by Malaysian YouTubers Jinny Boy and Dan Khoo.

Who is she? She is Victoria Cheng and she’s from the States, but has been calling Singapore her home for a few years now.

We sat down with her at a nice little café one day to find out more about who she is, what she does and why she’s known as a Singapore-fetishizer.  Read More Here

GastronommyTV on YouTube

I'm working on a few things right now, including a new online series on my YouTube channel.  The first episode will be out this June.  Do subscribe and let me know your thoughts after it's out.

http://youtube.com/gastronommy

Special thanks to Night Owl Cinematics for their camera work.  All photography in banner by my favorite Burmese photographer, Adam Tun-Aung (LinkedIn, Instagram).

Chicken Wings!

Chicken Wings?  ...waaaaaitt a minute.

Source: Facebook

Jim Gaffigan on Seafood

Jim Gaffigan's latest stand up skit, OBSESSED, is nothing short of hilarious.  Most of the skits are about food.  Here's a preview of him on Seafood.  You can get the whole album here on iTunes: 

Jim Gaffigan: OBSESSED.

While we're on the topic of edible bugs, here's my list of Singapore's Best Crabs.  There's also an influx of newly opened New Orleans styled seafood boil in Singapore, so here's a list of those restaurants as well:

The Cajun Kings, 15-1 Jalan Riang, Serangoon, Tel: 6284 4426

Full of Crab, 195 East Coast Rd Tel: 6348 8195

Dancing Crab, 200 Turf Club Road, #01-20/21 Tel: 6466 3303

Crab in da Bag, Block D Unit #01-25 902 East Coast Parkway, Big Splash Tel: 6440 0083

Yahoo Philippines [video]

If you remember this Balut video I posted a while back, it ended up leading to this trip in the Philippines as a Yahoo "Funbassador".  Back in March, we explored 5 different cities in a whirlwind tour of the Philippines.

Yahoo also dropped some activities on us, such as making my brother and I do Poi dancing in front of everyone!  I also didn't realize we would be meeting many other Funbassadors from other cities around Asia - such a great bunch of people.

Yahoo gang and the great camera crew from RedAntsMedia

Exploring the new Tiong Bahru Eats [Food Diary]

Read: More Food Diary entries.

The past few weeks I managed to check out two different Japanese spots along the hipster Yong Siak Street area as well as sample Open Door Policy's new menu. I happen to live in the area, so my new April eats were quite convenient in terms of location.

BINCHO

78 Moh Guan Terrace #01-19, Singapore 162078

Tel: +(65) 6438-4567 www.bincho.com.sg

Visit Date: 1 April (dinner)

NOMsrades: Denise Tan, Rebecca Lynne Tan, Darius Chia, Jeremy Chee

Verdict: I'll be back.

Denise rounded up the troops for a round 2 outing, this time with lots to chew on (last time, we had a Gin Ramble around Singapore with East Imperial and Tanqueray10). Bincho is one of the latest hip badboys on the block, though with all the cries about local eateries being pushed out, Bincho owner Loh Lik Peng has sought to preserve what he can. Upon arriving at Bincho's address, you'll find a preserved mee pok stall still occupying the front of the shop space by day (and according to my Anglo-Chinese School alumnus eating buddies that evening, the famous Hua Bee Mee Pok rivals the greatness of ACS' cafeteria's version of olden days). Come nightfall, Bincho emerges into life.

Yakitori, Denise reminds us, is often used as a catch-all term for skewered foods, but its original meaning is grilled chicken. At Bincho, we went through nearly every part of the chicken. Nothing on this chicken goes to waste: head, shoulders, knees, and toes... on certain days, you may even be offered grilled cock's comb.

I never had a huge fondness for chicken, but Bincho revives an appreciation for the most common poultry on the planet.

The restaurant offers 3 different Omakase sets and 1 hotpot set for diners to choose from, along with a limited (and pricey) a la carte menu. The menu changes frequently, but always revolves around tori (chicken). Sakura Seven $60, Fuji set $80, Bincho $120, Miyabi Hotpot $65 (min 2 pax); Lunch donburi sets $20-25.

Further inside Bincho, you'll find a narrow bar for your cocktail tipples.

IKYU

5 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168643

Tel: +(65) 6223-9003 www.ikyu.com.sg

Visit Date: 7 April (dinner)

NOMsrade: Alex

Verdict: I'll be back, due to personal location convenience and value. My companion on the other hand, would not.

We were looking for something Japanese, something new, something casual, something that wasn't going to break the bank on a random weekday night after work. I had read ieatishootipost's favorable review of Ikyu, so we dropped by to try it out. In my book, the restaurant checks off all of those boxes. I was satiated as far as a mid-range Japanese restaurant in Singapore could offer, but my dining companion begged to differ.

OPEN DOOR POLICY

19 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168650

Tel: +(65) 6221-9307 www.odpsingapore.com

Visit Date: 21 April (lunch)

NOMsrades: Karen, Skii (hosted for media)

Verdict: I'll be back... because I'm curious about the burger I didn't get to try last time.

Open Door Policy has been around much longer than the other two restaurants, but the shabby chic restaurant has a new chef helming the kitchen, complete with a whole new menu. Chef Daniele Sperindio is from Italy, his accent is as evident of his Italian origins as is the heavy Italian influence in the menu.

Here's a list of my favorite dishes below.  If you're new to ODP and can't decide on what to eat, you can request for the 'FEED ME' sharing plates, for a special chef's selection at $51 per head. There is also a 5-course tasting menu at $68 per person.

Glazed iberico pork belly with sweet potato gnocchi, crushed cashews, and butternut pumpkin sauce

I have mixed feelings when it comes to the sous vide process. When first announced that a meat is sous vide, I scoff a little inside, "Cheater's method!" I think to myself. But often times, I end up finding myself enjoying the perfectly cooked meat so much so that I ponder the idea of acquiring my own sous vide for home. ODP's iberico pork belly is brined overnight, slow cooked for 12 hours, then seared and glazed with balsamic and soy. The gnocchi was unfortunately undercooked inside, but the dish satiated overall. S$30

Hand-made chorizo tortelli with fried sage, 

burnt butter sauce and spinach

Given the distinct smoky-salty nature of chorizo, I had expected the filling to overwhelm the pasta dish, but each bite was a sinful delight. The tortelli skin too, had a delectable supple texture - al dente as it should be. S$25

Seared Scallops with cauliflower couscous and preserved lemon

This was my favorite dish that afternoon. The pan-seared scallops are imported from Hokkaido, and the boudin noir (blood sausage) serves surprisingly well next to shellfish.  $24

Crumbed Mediterranean Anchovies with red onion jam and caper berries

Not depicted here, but worth a mention.  Like the chorizo tortelli, I was also pleasantly surprised by the balance of ingredients and flavors of the anchovies with red onion jam. Anchovy can be quite unappealing because of its supremely 'fishy' flavors, but these Italian anchovies are subtler and go well in ODP's interpretation. S$24

All photos provided by respective venues, Bincho, IKYU, and Open Door Policy. All photos depict the dishes as they are served accurately.

Sushi Suicides

A conversation with my friend Yvonne about "seppuku worthy" sushi (as she put it) reminded me of these pages from Anthony Bourdain's Get Jiro. Released this summer by DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, the chef’s first foray into the graphic novel genre is a playful collaboration with writer Joel Rose and artist Langdon Foss together with José Villarrubia.

Synopsis: In a not-too-distant future Los Angeles where master chefs rule the town like crime lords and people literally kill for a table at the best restaurants, a bloody culinary war is raging.

Get Jiro is available here http://www.amazon.com/Turtleback-School-Library-Binding-Edition/dp/060631766X

Culinary P-p-paparazzi

This month's column of Esquire is something most of you can relate to. The love/hate relationship chefs have with obsessive food camwhores. 

Word Abuse — VARIETY vs VARIETAL [Guest Post]

Here are some pro-tips in wine speak by my favorite Singaporean Wine Writer, Kenny Leong.  Visit his site at The Word Count. (original post here)

WORD ABUSE — VARIETY VS VARIETAL
by Kenny Leong

In my years of reading magazines and materials and speaking with writers, PR professionals, wine dealers, bloggers, educators, and virtually everyone who has anything and everything to do with food and wine, I've come to the conclusion that the two most abused and misused terms in our field are:

1) Molecular gastronomy
2) Varietal wine/grape

It's funny, because these are people (instead of your pedestrian "foodies") that you'd think might actually understand the words they're using.

I'll save "molecular" for another day, since that's a bit more complicated than "varietal", and I'm a bit, uh, nervous about the looming deadlines this week.

The second is much easier to understand. A lot of people say "varietal" when they mean "variety", and rather surprisingly, even people who've been in the wine industry for many years still make that mistake.

First, we need to understand that:
Variety → noun
Varietal → adjective

A variety is a thing, an object, whereas "varietal" describes a thing or object, such as a bottle of wine. In other words, in common wine terms, a variety refers to the grape, while a varietal is a contraction of "varietal wine", meaning a wine that's made from a single (or from a dominant) grape variety.

Variety → Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Riesling, etc.
Varietal wine → Chateau Whatchamacallit Pinot Noir, Domaine Whathisname Riesling, etc.

So if you're referring to the botanical variety (there!) or cultivar of the grape, it's "variety". And if you're referring to a wine made from a single grape variety, it's "varietal wine" or "varietal" for short.

World Gourmet Summit: Chef Kenny Fu

This year's World Gourmet Summit in Singapore is showcasing only two chefs who specialize in Chinese cuisine, among a long list of other chefs who are presenting Western menus.  Chef Kenny Fu from Beijing's My Humble House is one of them.  He is serving a special menu for lunch and dinner at Singapore's Tunglok Signatures until Sunday 30 March.  Make your reservations here.  See the full menu here.

(Translation from Chinese:
My recommended dishes include today's first course of BBQ Fois Gras with Raspberry Macaron Sauce, Steamed Cod Fillet with special Taiwanese fermented soybeans, and my signature Zhajiang Noodles.)

Celebrity Chef Kenny Fu is not just the face of modern cuisine in China, he is also a chef for celebrities. Personalities like Jay Chou and Christy Chung have dined at Chef Fu's table. Striving for innovation, Chef Fu constantly challenges the boundaries of Chinese cooking and frequently travels to understand how modern cuisine is interpreted globally. A familiar face on TV, Chef Fu is a regular on Chinese television programmes. He recently defeated Michelin starred Chef Jean Jacques from France and Enrico Bartolini from Italy in a CCTV-televised chef competition. Chef Fu is currently Cuisine Consultant to My Humble House in Beijing, China.

Here are my favorites from the lunch menu.

荷塘月色-85℃荷叶壶底荫豉蒸鳕鱼

Steamed Cod with Taiwan’s Fermented Soybean at 85℃

These beans are specially from Taiwan, lending a lovely smoky note to the marinade.

烹汁黑椒澳洲和牛粒

Quick-fried Australia Beef Cubes with Golden Garlic, Dried Chili, Sichuan Peppercorn

On first bite, I found the dish rather ordinary. But as I went through, taking mouthfuls of each of the ingredients into one bite, the textures and flavors came together in an addictive way. The fried dried chilis were particularly delectable with each crunch.

付洋经典炸酱面

Chef Kenny’s Signature Zhajiang Noodle

If there's only one dish you can try on Chef Kenny's menu, it should be this dish. Only 20 servings are available per day at his restaurant in Beijing. The noodles are painstakingly handmade by Kenny Fu himself every day. Over lunch, he quipped, "Two of my cooks who were in charge of preparing these noodles quit on me, because of the laborious work it required every single day. These take a lot of energy to make."  The black bean sauce itself requires an additional 4 hours to prepare.  The long hours are well worth it though, because I am far from the only diner who gurgled moans of approval as we ate through the dish.  Chinese celebrities such as actress Zhang Ziyi has often claimed this to be one of her favorite dishes in the city.

茉莉花口味法芙娜巧克力慕斯

Jasmine-flavoured Valrhona Chocolate Mousse

This splendid ruby sphere garnered a few gasps of delight.  A simple concept, but no less a joy as we cracked through the candied shell to reveal the luxurious Valrhona Chocolate Mousse that lay within.  Each of these spheres require an hour each to prepare. Similar to glass blowing, the candied substance requires careful execution from handling to timing to temperature control as it is blown into shape.

Make your reservations here.  See the full menu here.

TungLok Signatures – Taste of Tradition
Orchard Parade Hotel #02-18
1 Tanglin Road Singapore 247905
Tel: +(65) 6834 0660
www.tungloksignatures.com

How F&B Tycoons Stay Lean: VibroGym

location: Lifestyle Fitness, Sheraton Towers

photography by Adam Tun-Aung, unless stated otherwise

Fitness and Losing Weight in Singapore

Currently, I'm feeling pretty good.

There was something I noticed as I began my training over the weeks with Alvin.  Many of his regular clients I'd often see are doctors and food/drink industry related CEOs.  It seems, Lifestyle Fitness is where they come to stay lean despite their work.

So, you've heard that I've been getting healthier and more active again (read: Getting in Shape as a Food Writer).  It's been a while now, and I'm happy to report a good level of maintenance going on so far.  There were weeks where I'd drop so much weight with nice defined abs to match, but then it would balloon back again the moment I stopped my unrealistic Spartan routine.  I've learned a lot about my body over the past year.

But what's a fitness post without "Before" Photos?

BEFORE

Here's a photo I took with #LiveFitter at the beginning of my journey. 

(photo by Soon Tong, Calibre Pics)

BEFORE

What's funny is how difficult it was to find any full length shots. I didn't really want to see myself, so I never saved any photos.

CURRENTLY

A work in progress

They say "Abs are made in the kitchen," as in getting lean is 80% about your diet, and 20% about your fitness.  But when you're training someone who's in the food business, it's hard to dictate what s/he should and shouldn't eat....  Alvin Tan of Lifestyle Fitness offers a customized nutritional program for each of his clients, as well as a private chef on staff that can prepare your meals for you daily.

However, my "challenge" was about making progress without restricting my diet too much.  My work simply doesn't allow for too much restriction all the time.  In fact, Alvin wanted to help prove that abs can also be made in the gym.

Alvin put me on a VibroGym training program. VibroGym contracts your muscles 30-40 times per second.  In just 4 minutes, you will achieve 8000 - 9000 muscles contractions, meaning your workout is accelerated (doing more in less time). VibroGym generates vibrations that are transferred to your body.  Technically, within 10 minutes, you can complete effective training of your entire body since Vibro Training stimulates the whole muscular system at once and not one muscle after another.  But despite that, Alvin made sure I never do anything short of an hour a day.

This technology is similar, but much more advanced than the popular PowerPlates programs.  PowerPlates machines are now constructed in China, using older technology with slower and wider vibrations that might be potentially damaging to your body with prolonged excessive use. VibroGym equipment, which is only built in the Netherlands, enables upward and cleaner vibrations throughout your muscular system.

Alvin Tan is one of the leading trainers in vibration training in Asia, specializing in specific weight loss programs and injury rehabilitation. The professionally certified fitness coach, therapist and nutritionist comes from 17 years of experience in the fitness industry. 

Your average sit-up or plank suddenly becomes 5xs more intense.  The machine looks harmless, but I dare you to try.

VibroGym also helps with flexibility.  I've seen skeptics who couldn't touch their toes get on the machine, and within 60 seconds (no exaggeration), their palms were to the floor. The vibrations of the device cause stretch reflexes in tensed muscles.

Effects of VibroGym training:
Reduction in high blood pressure
Reduction on pain & fatigue
Reduction in cellulite
Burns Fat Effectively

Benefits:
Increase in flexibility
Increase in Metabolic rate
Increase in muscular strength, endurance, power, and size
Improvement in joint stability

Proof is in the pudding, and the journey isn't even over yet.
Contact exclusive professional trainer and nutritionist Alvin Tan of Lifestyle Fitness at Sheraton Towers, Singapore for an appointment—mention Gastronommy.   

S. Pellegrino Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2014

Just announced live a few hours ago, here are this year's winners for the 2014 Asia's 50 Best Restaurants

no. 20-50 here

top no. 1-10 here

More about this weekend's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants coming soon...